<p>My parents tell me that if I don't learn how to drive, I'll never get a job.
So far, I've been thriving well enough without the skill. I've been taking the metro, riding my bike and walking. </p>
<p>After several weeks of conferring with a professor at a local university, I've been offered a paid research internship.
This is an absolutely amazing opportunity, however, my parents feel that it's not as important or significant as learning how to drive, and they absolutely want me to take driver's ed this summer. </p>
<p>What should I do? I want to do the internship more than anything, but I simply can't persuade them the extent of its usefulness and the experience I would gain.</p>
<p>Haha learning to drive shouldnt be that difficult… I just BSed my way through online drivers ed, took 4 hours of instructed driving (supposed to have done 6 but wasnt able to so my driving school passed me off anyways), and took my test.</p>
<p>Driving is pure common sense, just do drivers ed in your free time. Whenever your parents take you somewhere, ask them if you can drive instead.</p>
<p>I remember drivers ed 
Now I’ll have had my license for exactly a year in 10 days, and I’m a BOSS driver.</p>
<p>Make the research thing a priority, btw. You can learn to drive later.</p>
<p>I would mostly agree with the above. You definitely should not forfeit this research opportunity for something like drivers ed, for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>You don’t necessarily need drivers ed to get your license, although it may be helpful. I just drove around with my parents and did fine. Granted, this process may be more difficult for some than others. After all, common sense is not so common.</p>
<p>But to add on to your original question, and I think jadenio would agree, that actually <em>being able to (legally) drive</em> is a very useful skill. Although I have my license, I rarely drive my mom’s car around, and actually prefer to not drive when possible (like taking the bus to school, for example). However, when I have to go to the university over the summer for lab or lifeguard at a pool, or just want to hang out with my friends, it is a nice convenience to be able to drive myself. Of course, not being able to drive doesn’t mean you won’t get a job; a good proportion of adults commute by ways other than car (or NY traffic would be way worse). My two cents.</p>
<p>Trust me, living in a suburb, it is vital that you drive in order to get around. For a job, an hour bike ride just isn’t worth it, and there’s simply not many job opportunities within a walking/biking distance of my house.
Regardless, being able to drive, I’d say, is pretty important. Less important if you live in an urban area with public transportation, but still important.</p>
<p>It will depend where you live as to how necessary driving is. In cities in will generally be a lot easier to use public transport.
I don’t think there’d be any harm in putting of driver’s ed, whereas the internship is probably a unique opportunity.</p>
<p>“You don’t necessarily need drivers ed to get your license”</p>
<p>In some states it’s required if you’re under 18, so a lot of people wait until they’re 18 to take the test so they don’t have to take driver’s ed.</p>
<p>There’s no reason learning to drive can’t wait until next year.
Can you get a learner’s permit and practice this summer anyway? Most of what you learn about driving comes from actually driving, and not from driver’s ed.</p>
<p>Driving is an important skill to have,but I would work something out so that you can do both. It might take some time management skills, but learning time management is worthwhile too. Depending on your age and the state you live in, there can be driving requirements you must fulfill to get your license. For example, in NY when you are 16 and get your permit, you must wait 6 months to take your road test and have 50 hours of driving practice, 15 hours must be at night. Your parents or a guardian must log those hours and certify you have them. There are MANY MANY things you learn from DRIVER EDUCATION classes, other than driving skills. Driving is something you can practice with your parents as well. There may be local driving schools that can work around your research opportunity hours. Our school district also offers driver education in the spring, summer and fall. Check all the opportunities in your area and see if there are times which might work with the research opportunity. Even check neighboring school districts, as they sometimes allow non-district students to sign up if there is space available. Driver education saves lives!</p>
<p>I guess you COULD make it through life without ever learning to drive if you live in a city, but it’s a really important life skill to have. It’s not hard at all. There’s literally dogs that can drive cars. It’s not like learning to drive is going to consume your entire summer. Your parents are absolutely right about the job thing; an employer is going to prefer the employee with a reliable way to get to work over one without.</p>
<p>I agree with FastNeutrino- living in the suburbs, being able to drive makes everything much more convenient, compared to living in a city(such as NYC) where it could potentially make things more difficult. However, I do think one thing needs to be mentioned- just because you can legally drive does not mean you are a good driver. I know many people who are terrible drivers but still have their licenses. I’ve had my license for almost a year(I’m 17) and I would not consider myself to be a very good driver- that comes with time. So even if you do get your license, remember it will take many years before you can predict other drivers reactions, movements, and how to effectively dodge situations.</p>
<p>It takes a special kind of idiot to be over 18 and not know how to drive.</p>
<p>^
Just as I’ve always suspected, everyone in my city is a special kind of idiot. And they all have licenses too.</p>
<p>^^everyone who lives in a 3rd world country is an idiot?</p>
<p>if driving isn’t a necessity, I think the smart thing to do would be to spend your time elsewhere :rolleyes:</p>
<p>But in many cities, I’m thinking London especially, there is absolutely no need to drive. In some places, it can take a huge amount of time and money to learn, so why bother?</p>
<p>The man who directed Bronson, Drive, Only God Forgives, and others doesn’t have a license.</p>
<p>One of my parents grew up in an urban area and didn’t know how to drive until their late 20s. They said they felt they didn’t “need to drive” and that they had access to everything by walking, public transit and stuff. Later they told me that it really hurt them when they got to college where it was too late and inconvenient to take driver’s ed. They had to depend on their friends to get them off and on campus for anything, could never initiate off-campus plans, and getting stuff to and from school at the beginning and end of year was a nightmare. Also when there were roadtrips no one wanted to take them because they could not contribute to the driving. Later my parent said that not being able to drive or afford lessons or know how to even go about it anymore (my grandparents weren’t paying anymore) hindered where they could choose to live or work.</p>
<p>Both my parents made me take driver’s ed the second I turned 16 it was not even negotiable. That said I would not give up a valuable opportunity for something you could do at another time during the school year, like over one of the breaks they sometimes have these weeks where you can take all your classroom classes at one time and then get in the driving time with your mom or dad or another adult as you can until you are ready to take the driver’s test.</p>
<p>Driver’s ed is part of PE where I live…</p>
<p>I have my license but I don’t drive much. I don’t think it matters much, as long as you’re comfortable driving by the time you leave for college. I mean, until then, where do you have to go? The grocery store for your mom? (I’ve been there a couple of times. 
)</p>
<p>I wish my parents were pushing me to drive so much. They’re against it. It’s just a big convienience thing here, and kinda a social thing</p>
<p>My parents are constantly telling me to get my license. I took the test once but I failed it because my parents are bad drivers and I let them give me advice :D. I’ve had a learner’s permit for two years now.</p>